Cushioned vehicle-axle.



E. W. DAVIS. oUsHIoNED VEHICLE AXLE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 29, 1910.

1, 1 1 3,202, Patented 001;. 13, 1914.

NVENTOR:

mmf/d A TT ORNE Y.

EDWBJ) W. DAVIS, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

CUSHIONED VEHICLE-AXLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 2 9, 1910. Serial No.579,517.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EowAnD lV. DAvis, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and .State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cushioned Vehicle-Axles; and I do declare thel followingl to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

rlhis invention relates to the type of vehicles that is adapted to be used on highways or streets. the invention having reference more particularly to automobiles or similar vehicles and especially to the steering axle thereof, and means for permitting the wheels to rise or fall with respect to the main portion of the axle to which the vehicle body or its spring is directly connected.

The object of the invention is t0 provide an improved cushioned vehicle axle that will be adapted to aord easy riding and obviate liability of bending axles when running over rough roads, especially nt high speeds,

a further object being to rovide a strong and reliable cushioned steering axle that. will be adapted to be cheaply constructed, and'he durable and economical in use and operate to avoid bursting pneumatic tires when striking obstructions, such as ruts or stones in the roadway.

The invention comprises a main axle bar having stub-axles pivoted thereto and pro-- top plan ot an automobile steering axle constructed in accordance with the invention and having Wheels thereon; Fig. 2, a tragmentary front elevation; Fig. 3, a vertical section on the line A A in Fig. 2 omitting the wheel; Fig. 4, a fragmentary section' on the plane of the line B B in Fig.` 3; Fi 5, a perspective view of one of the parts o the housing of the cushion which serves as a bearing for the steering pivot; Fig. 6, a fragmentary section of a part of the pivot vas on the plane ot the line A A in Fig. 2; Fig. 7, an inverted plan of one of the parts of a ball bearing for the cushion; and, Fig. 8, a

horizont-al section on the line C C `in Fig. 3, omittipg some of the bearing balls. y

Similar reference characters throughout the various igures'ofthe drawings indicate corresponding elements or features struction herein referred to.

In the drawings the numeral 1 indicates a main axle-bar which may be variously shaped, and each of its'two ends has a vertica l housing 2 thereon which is' cylindrical with an open lowerend, the upperiend having an integral centrally-apertured head 3 in` which preferably a bushing 4 is inserted fixedlyto constitute a pivot bearing The lower end portion of the housing hasinternal screw-threads 5 whereby a bushing 6 having external screw-threads 7 is removably secured in the housing, thebushing.

preferably having a iange 8 thereonseated against the. lower end of the housing. A centrally apertured cap 9 is secured. on the head 3 of the housing and it comprises an oil-box, there being suicient space between the top head 3 and the cap to retain lubri- Patented Oct.. 13, 1914. .Y

of con- A eating oil or grease. A sleeve 10 is provided n which is somewhat longer than the housing and is fitte-d so as to rotate in the bushings l and 6 and so as to move vertically therein, the sleeve having a collar llsecured` thereto somewhat removed from its lower end and y an annular cone 14C having a ball-race 15 in its under side. A coil-spring 16 of suitable length is placed within the housing and extends about the sleeve, its lowerend being vseated upon the cone 14, the head 3 of the housing eing seated upon the upper end of the coil-spring, so that as will main axle-bar is supported-upon two springs. A dust-cap is provlded which comprisesa perforated plate 17 that rests upon the top of the sleeve 10 and a relatively long flange 18 that extends about and downward beyond the cap 9 in movable contact with the exterior of the housing 2, the plate and the flange excluding dust from thesleeve and its oil-box and upper bearing. Suitable packing 19 is placed about the sleeve 10 under the cap 9 for absorbing and feeding the lubricant to the sleeve and its bearing, the cap 9 preferably having an oil-hole 20 in its top. A stub-axle 21 has a hub 22 thereon as usual e seen the.

and also two opposing pivot ears 23 and 23 which are somewhat farther apart than the space between the top and bottom of the housing externally, so that the housing may move vertically between the ears, the ears boing suitably spaced apart to neatly re4 ceive the sleeve 10 with the plate 17 thereon between them, and a pivot-pin 24 is inserted in the sleeve and extends through it and also through the ears and has a head 25 thereon which is seated upon the upper ear 23, a nut 26 being placed on its lower end against the lower ears 23 for retaining the pivot-pin, the latter preferably bein therey secured to the pivot ears and bin ing the 1 pivot-ears to the sleeve, so that the load is carried jointly by the two ears, andthe pivot-pin and the sleeve rotate together during steering operations. Suitable wheels 27 and l27" are mounted as usual on the pivoted stub-axles 'and are controlled as usual by f means of arms 28 and 28 with which the stub-axles are provided, one arm havlng a branch 29 thereon, the arms being coupled by means of a rod 30 as usual and t e branch being in connection with a controlling rod 31 which may be operated in any desired manner, as will be understood.

`ln practical use when the wheels roll into the depressions suddenly, the s prin 16 expands so as to prevent the housmg om descending suddenly, and again as the wheel rises from the depression or runs over a stone or obstacle, the spring becomes compressed somewhat before forcing up the housing, so that the main axle-bar 1 is not liable to be bent and the shocks are thus absorbed by the springs. y Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, isl 1. A cushioned axle including an axle-bar havin two cylindrical housings thereon, each ousin 'havin an apertured head on its upper en and a ushing in its lower end, an'annularbearing secured iixedly in the apertured head, a sleeve movable longitudinally and rotatively in the bearing and the bushing and havin a collar thereon, bearing balls on the col ar, an annular cone supported on the balls, a spring supported on the cone and supporting the apertured head, a stub-axle having an ear extendingopposite one end of the sleeve and an ear extendin opposite the opposite end of the sleeve, an a pivot pin extendi through the sleeve and the ears and secure lixedly to both the ears.

2. A cushioned axle including a main axlebar having two housings thereon, each houshaving an apertured head on its top and a ushing in its bottom, a sleeve movable lon tudinall and rotatively in the head an the bushing and having a collar thereon, bearing balls on the collar, an annular cone supported on the balls, a spring supported an sec atrasos tion and an apertured head xedin its upper end portion, a bushing inserted in the lower end portion and having a flange thereon extendmg into contact with said lower end, said bushing having screw-threads thereon engaging the screwthreads of the housing, a stub-axle having two ears, a pivotal element extending movably through said bushing and said head and secured to said ears,

said element being seated against the inner or opposed faces of both of said ears, a collar iixcd on said pivotal element at a distance from said bushing, and a s ring inte osed between said collar and sai apertured cad.

d. ln a cushioned axle, the combination of an axle-bar, two cylindrical housings on opposite ends of the axle-bar, each housing havin an apertured head .on its upper end and a Aushing removably secured in its lowerend, the bushing having a ange thereon seated against said lower end, a sleeve extendin through said bushing and said aperturedA cad and movable longitudinally and rotatively therein, said sleeve having a collar thereon in the housin at a distance from said bushing, a spring mte osed between said collar and sald aperture head, a stubaxle havin an ear extending onto the upper end of sai sleeve and an ear extending un- -der the lower end of said sleeve in contact therewith, and a pivot pin extending ,through said sleeve and the said ears, the pin having a head on one end and a nut on the o pos1te end thereof rigidly securing said eeve to both of said ears.

5. In a cushioned axle, the combination of an axle-bar and cylindrical housings thereon, each housing including an apertured head on the upper end thereof, a bushing secured in the lower end of the housing, a stub-axle com rising an ear extending opposite said hea and an ear extending opposite said bushing at distances therefrom, a sleeve movable lo 'tudinall and rotatively in said head an Ain sai bushing -and extending from the lower one of said ears nearly to the upper one of said ears, said sleeve having a col ar thereon above said bushing, a dustcap seated upon the top of said sleeve in contact with the upper one of said ears and extending over said head, a. pivot pin extendin thllgh said sleeve and said dust-cap to both of said ears, and a spring extending about said sleeve between said collar and said head.

6. In a cushioned axle, the combination of a stub-axle and two oppositely arranged apertured ears thereon, an axle-bar and a cylindrical housing thereon having an apertured head on the upper end thereof, the housin being between said ears, a bushing secure in the lower end of said housing, a

pivoting device extending through said head s and said bushing and movably guided therein, said device bein fixedly secured to both of said ears, a colar fixed on said device above said bushing, a sprin interposed between said collar and said Eead, an oil-box comprisinga top plate extending movably about said device above said head and a flange extending downward and xedly secured to said head, and packing upon said head within said oil-box.

7. In a cushioned axle, the combination of a stub-axle, a housing, a sleeve extending through and guided in the housing, a pivot pin extending through the sleeve and secur- 1nd the sleeve to the stub-axle, a collar fixedly secured to said sleeve, bearing balls on said collar, an annular cone on said balls extending about said sleeve, and a spring supported on said cone and supporting said housing.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.y

EDWARD W. DAVIS. Witnesses:

P. A. HAVELICK, E. T. SILvIUs. 

